Kolkata go for Spanish flavour

Mumbai: Each franchise had five minutes to make their choice but Atletico de Kolkata surprised many, taking just five seconds, sometimes less, to spell out the name of their choice at the international player draft in Mumbai on Thurs-day.
Truth to tell, the choice, most times, was obvious.
Having signed a Spanish manager, Antonio Habas and Spanish marquee player Luis Garcia, a UEFA Champions League winner with Liverpool, Atletico de Kolkata’s plan became clear when they picked up Real Madrid midfielder Borja Fernandes as their first-choice foreign player.
At the foreign player draft in Mumbai on Thursday, Kolkata stood up in no time to announce their choice: Jofre Mateu Gonzalez, not surprisingly a Span-ish who started his career with Barcelona. Their next two choices were also Spanish players -- Jose Miguel Gonzalez Rey and Arnal Llibert Conde Carbo -- and were forced to look at other nationalities only when the ten Spanish play-ers in the draft were no longer available.
“We picked these players not just because they are Spanish but because they are extremely good players,” said assistant coach Jose Ramirez Barreto, a Brazilian.
“Having Spanish players will make communicating easy. We should not have a problem with the language,” said Barreto, one of India’s best-known foreign players.
Barreto’s “best” Spanish players defence has some merit. From amongst the four foreign players they picked, two are UEFA Champions League winners, while one has trained at Barcelona.
Atletico de Kolkata will be the only franchise to play their home matches on an artificial turf.
Saharsh Parekh, whose father co-owns the Kolkata franchise, said players will have to adjust quickly to the surface at the Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata.
“There are a few formations that the coach wants and accordingly, we picked our players. It’s all about creating a balance, young and experienced.
“We have a list of 22 players. Now we will go back and discuss. Hopefully foreign players will start the camp too depending on their visas,” said Parekh.